Unit Officers

Lieutenant Commander W. David Dryden, NZCFCommanding Officer​Lieutenant Commander W. David Dryden took command of TS Leander in August 2016, after commanding TS Bellona for several years.

LTCDR Dryden

Sub Lieutenant Sonia Porter, NZCFExecutive Officer / Administration Officer​Sub Lieutenant Sonia Porter originally joined the TS Leander Unit Support Committee in 2011 as a member after her son joined the unit. She was appointed to be the Secretary of the Committee in 2012. After the loss of two Unit officers in 2014, SLt Porter then commissioned as a Cadet Force Officer. Since her commissioning she has attended various training courses, including: Marine Safety, Range Safety, and Instructional Technique.

In July 2015, SLt Porter was selected to chaperone four sea cadets to attend the 2015 International Exchange Program (IEP). That year the IEP was in the United States of America. She has since remarked that it was “an awesome experience” and that “all cadets should apply”.

SLt Porter was appointed as the Executive Officer August 2016 and she was promoted to the rank of Sub Lieutenant in November 2018.

SLt ​Porter has spent many years with other youth groups, and as such, she has a vast amount of experience with young adults. ​

SLt Porter

Under Officer Tymon Porter, SCCTraining Officer / Assistant Administration Officer​Under Officer Tymon Porter joined TS Leander in November 2011. Since joining as a New Entry, he has risen through the ranks and attended Junior NCO Course in 2014, and Senior NCO Course in 2015. In 2016, UO successfully passed Cadet Coxswains Course, and Under Officers Course in 2017.

UO Porter was appointed the Unit Coxswain in September 2016, and he was promoted to the rank of Warrant Officer Cadet in May 2017. From July 2018 UO Porter was promoted to the rank of Under Officer, and moved in to an officer appointment as Training Officer, and Assistant Administration Officer.

In January 2017, UO was appointed Course Coxswain for the 2017 Cadet Coxswain Course, and he was a reserve for the Cadet of the Year Competition. Throughout his time at TS Leander, UO Porter has attended several Regatta’s, including winning the Northern Area Regatta twice.

UO Porter is en route to a commissioning as an officer in the NZCF.

UO Porter left Westlake Boys High School at the end of 2017. He is currently to studying a Bachelor of Commerce at Auckland University.